question_text: what are the common law states in the united states

text: General principles[edit]

text: The requirements for a common-law marriage to be validly contracted differ from state to state.

text: All states, however, recognize common-law marriages that were validly contracted in other states under their laws of comity and choice of law/conflict of laws.[2] (The Full Faith and Credit Clause of the United States Constitution does not apply to common law marriages because they are not public acts (i.e. statutes, ordinances, general laws, etc.), not public records, and not judicial proceedings.)[3]

text: Common-law marriage also exists in the Native American tribes. Among Native American tribes, for example, the Navajo Nation permits common-law marriage and allows its members to marry through tribal ceremonial processes and traditional processes.[4] Otherwise, common-law marriages can no longer be contracted in any of the other states.

text: Income tax purposes and other federal provisions[edit]

text: A common-law marriage is recognized for federal tax purposes if it is recognized by the state or jurisdiction where the taxpayers currently live, or in the state where the common-law marriage began. If the marriage is recognized under the law and customs of the state or jurisdiction in which the marriage takes place (even in a foreign country), the marriage is valid for tax purposes (Rev. Rul. 58-66). Practitioners should be alert to the specific state or jurisdiction requirements in order for their clients who are contemplating filing joint returns satisfy the requirements of the state or jurisdiction to be considered common-law married.

text: In February 2015, the United States Department of Labor issued its final rule amending the definition of "spouse" under the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 "FMLA" in response to the United States v. Windsor decision recognizing same-sex marriage. The new DOL rule became effective March 27, 2015.[5] The revised definition of "spouse" extends FMLA leave rights and job protections to eligible employees in a same-sex marriage or a common-law marriage entered into in a state or jurisdiction where those statuses are legally recognized, regardless of the state in which the employee currently works or resides.[6] Accordingly, even if an employer has employees working where same-sex or common-law marriage is not recognized, those employees’ spouses would trigger FMLA coverage if an employee was married in one of the many states that recognize same-sex marriage or common-law marriage.[7]

text: State law issues[edit]

text: Common-law marriage in the United States can still be contracted in the District of Columbia[8] as well as in the following nine states: Colorado,[9] Iowa,[10] Kansas,[11] Montana,[12] Oklahoma,[13] Rhode Island,[14] South Carolina,[15] Texas,[16] and Utah.[17]

text: Common-law marriages can no longer be contracted in the following twenty-seven states, as of the dates given: Alabama (2016).,[18] Alaska (1917),[19] Arizona (1913), California (1895), Florida (1968), Georgia (1997), Hawaii (1920), Idaho (1996), Illinois (1905),[20] Indiana (1958), Kentucky (1852), Maine (1652, when it became part of Massachusetts; then a state, 1820), Massachusetts (1646), Michigan (1957), Minnesota (1941), Mississippi (1956), Missouri (1921), Nebraska (1923), Nevada (1943), New Jersey (1939), New Mexico (1860),[21] New York (1933,[22] also 1902[23]–1908), North Dakota (1890), Ohio (1991), Pennsylvania (2005), South Dakota (1959) and Wisconsin (1917).

text: Common-law marriages have never been permitted to be contracted in the following thirteen states: Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Louisiana, Maryland, North Carolina, Oregon, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wyoming.

text: One state recognizes common-law marriage only through death for probate purposes: New Hampshire.[24]

text: Divorce in common-law marriage[edit]

text: All states—including those that have abolished the contract of common-law marriage within their boundaries—recognize common-law marriages lawfully contracted in jurisdictions that permit it.[25] Some states that do not recognize common-law marriage also afford legal rights to parties to a putative marriage (i.e. in circumstances when someone who was not actually married, e.g. due to a failure to obtain or complete a valid marriage license from the proper jurisdiction, believed in good faith that he or she was married) that arise before a marriage's invalidity is discovered. This is because all states provide that validity of foreign marriage is determined per lex loci celebrationis — that is, "by law of the place of celebration." In addition, the full faith and credit clause of the U.S. Constitution, discussed below, requires all U.S. states to recognize the validity of official acts of other U.S. states. Thus, a marriage validly contracted in Ohio, including common-law marriages entered into before that state abolished new common-law marriages in 1991, is valid in Indiana, even though the common-law marriage could not have been legally contracted in Indiana, because Ohio law is the basis of its validity. However, by the same principle, a marriage that was not lawfully contracted in Ohio would not be valid in Indiana even if it could have been lawfully contracted there. Additionally, some courts have held that all marriages performed within the U.S. must be valid in all states under the Full Faith and Credit Clause of the U.S. Constitution.[26] However, none of the cases to date has actually used the Clause to validate a sister-state marriage, and there is currently no known appellate case on the issue, working its way through U.S. courts, that is likely to reach the U.S. Supreme Court — whose decision would apply nationally, not just locally or within a particular state or a federal circuit.

text: Note there is no such thing as "common-law divorce" in the United States — that is, a married couple cannot terminate a common-law marriage as easily as they got into one. Only the contract of the marriage is irregular; everything else about the marriage is the same as a regularly licensed and solemnized marriage. Divorce or dissolution of marriage requires filing a petition for divorce or dissolution in the appropriate court in their state.[27]

text: Validity of a common-law marriage[edit]

text: Rulings on the validity of a particular common-law marriage frequently refrain from identifying a specific date of marriage when this is not necessary, because often, there is no one event or marriage ceremony that establishes this date. Even when a relationship begins in a state that does not recognize common-law marriage, if the couple relocates to a state that recognizes common-law marriage, a common-law marriage between the parties is often recognized if the couple's relationship continues in the new state. It is not uncommon for someone to claim to be a spouse based upon time the couple spent together in a common-law marriage state even after the couple leaves that state. The case law does not definitively establish whether a couple who are briefly present in a common-law marriage state, and who otherwise are eligible to be considered common-law married, but who do not establish domicile in that state, will be recognized as common-law married in a state that does not itself have common-law marriage.

text: Legislation in states that recognize common-law marriage[edit]

text: The requirements for a common-law marriage to be validly contracted differ in the eleven U.S. jurisdictions which still permit them.

text: Colorado[edit]

text: The elements of a common-law marriage are, with respect to both spouses: (1) holding themselves out as husband and wife; (2) consenting to the marriage; (3) cohabitation; and (4) having the reputation in the community as being married.[28] Different sources disagree regarding the requirement of cohabitation and some indicate that consummation (i.e. post-marital sexual intercourse) is also an element of common-law marriage. Colorado, by statute, no longer recognizes common-law marriages entered by minors in Colorado, and also does not recognize foreign common-law marriages entered into by minors, even if that marriage would have been valid where entered into under local law. See Section 14-2-109.5, Colorado Revised Statutes. The constitutionality of this limitation as applied to foreign marriages has not been tested in litigation.[29]

text: Colorado, Montana, and Texas are the only U.S. states to recognize both putative marriage and common-law marriage.[30][31]

text: District of Columbia[edit]

text: According to the District of Columbia Department of Human Services, a common-law marriage is "A marriage that is legally recognized even though there has been no ceremony and there is no certification of marriage. A common-law marriage exists if the two persons are legally free to marry, if it is the intent of the two persons to establish a marriage, and if the two are known to the community as husband and wife."[32]

text: Common-law marriages have been recognized in the District of Columbia since 1931.[33][34] Holding common-law marriages legal, District Court of Appeals Justice D. Laurence Groner said,

text: "We think it cannot now be controverted that an agreement between a man and woman to be husband and wife, consummated by cohabitation as husband and wife, constitutes a valid marriage unless there be in existence in the State in which the agreement is made, a statute declaring the marriage to be invalid unless solemnized in a prescribed manner. We think it equally true that the rule now generally recognized is that statutes requiring a marriage to be preceded by a license or to be solemnized by a religious ceremony without words of nullity as to marriages contracted otherwise are directory merely and failure to procure the license or to go through a religious ceremony does not invalidate the marriage. ... There is nothing in the statute which declares that a marriage shall not be valid unless solemnized in the prescribed manner, nor does it declare any particular thing requisite to the validity of the marriage. The act confines itself wholly with providing the mode of solemnizing the marriage and to the persons authorized to perform the ceremony. Indeed, the statue itself declares the purpose underlying the requirements to be secure registration and evidence of the marriage rather than to deny validity to marriages not performed according to its terms."[34]

text: Iowa[edit]

text: The three elements of a common-law marriage are: (1) the present intent and agreement to be married; (2) continuous cohabitation; and (3) public declaration that the parties are husband and wife.[35] The public declaration or holding out to the public is considered to be the acid test of a common-law marriage.[36]

text: Adm. Rule 701—73.25 (425) of the Iowa Administrative Code, titled Common Law Marriage, states:

text: A common law marriage is a social relationship that meets all the necessary requisites of a marriage except that it was not solemnized, performed or witnessed by an official authorized by law to perform marriages. The necessary elements of a common law marriage are: (a) a present intent of both parties freely given to become married, (b) a public declaration by the parties or a holding out to the public that they are husband and wife, (c) continuous cohabitation together as husband and wife (this means consummation of the marriage), and (d) both parties must be capable of entering into the marriage relationship. No special time limit is necessary to establish a common law marriage.

text: Edit: 701—73.26 Rescinded, effective October 2, 1985.

text: This rule is intended to implement Iowa Code section 425.17.

text: Kansas[edit]

text: Under Kansas Statute 23-2502, both parties to a common-law marriage must be 18 years old. The three requirements that must coexist to establish a common-law marriage in Kansas are: (1) capacity to marry; (2) a present marriage agreement; and (3) a holding out of each other as husband and wife to the public.[38]

text: Montana[edit]

text: A common-law marriage is established when a couple: "(1) is competent to enter into a marriage, (2) mutually consents and agrees to a common-law marriage, and (3) cohabits and is reputed in the community to be husband and wife."[39]

text: New Hampshire[edit]

text: New Hampshire recognizes common-law marriage for purposes of probate only. In New Hampshire "[P]ersons cohabiting and acknowledging each other as husband and wife, and generally reputed to be such, for the period of 3 years, and until the decease of one of them, shall thereafter be deemed to have been legally married." Thus, the state posthumously recognizes common-law marriages to ensure that a surviving spouse inherits without any difficulty.[40]

text: Oklahoma[edit]

text: The situation in Oklahoma has been unclear since the mid-1990s, with legal scholars reporting each of 1994, 1998, 2005, and 2010 as the year common-law marriage was abolished in the state. However, as of September 12, 2016, the Oklahoma Tax Commission continues to represent common-law marriage as legal there,[41] and the Department of Corrections continues to reference common-law marriage, though that could refer to older marriages.[42] No reference to the ban appears in the relevant statutes;[43][44] the 2010 bill that attempted to abolish common-law marriage[45] passed the state Senate, but died in a House committee.[46] Multiple legal websites continue to represent common-law marriage as legal in Oklahoma.[47][48][49][50]

text: Oklahoma common-law status is much controverted, but as of February 19, 2014, several Oklahoma executive agencies continue to represent it as legal,[51] and a reputed ban in 2010 cannot be found in its statutes.[43]

text: Rhode Island[edit]

text: The criteria for a common-law marriage are: (1) the parties seriously intended to enter into the husband-wife relationship; (2) the parties’ conduct is of such a character as to lead to a belief in the community that they were married.[52]

text: South Carolina[edit]

text: The criteria for a common-law marriage are: (1) when two parties have a present intent (usually, but not necessarily, evidenced by a public and unequivocal declaration) to enter into a marriage contract; and (2) "a mutual agreement between the parties to assume toward each other the relation of husband and wife."[53] Common law marriages can dissolve in legal divorce and alimony.

text: Texas[edit]

text: The Texas Family Code, Sections 2.401 through 2.405,[54] define how a common-law marriage (which is known as both "marriage without formalities" and "informal marriage" in the text) can be established in one of two ways. Both parties must be at least age 18 to enter into a common-law marriage.

text: First, a couple can file a legal "Declaration of Informal Marriage", which is a legally binding document. The form must be completed by both marriage partners and sworn or affirmed in presence of the County Clerk. The Declaration is formally recorded as part of the Official County Records by Volume and Page number, and is then forwarded by the County Clerk to the Texas Bureau of Vital Statistics, where it is again legally recorded as formal evidence of marriage. This is the same procedure that is used when a marriage license is issued and filed; the term "Informal" refers only to the fact that no formal wedding ceremony (whether civil or religious) was conducted.

text: Second, a couple can meet a three-prong test, showing evidence of all of the following:

text:
first, an agreement to be married;
after such agreement, cohabitation within the State of Texas; and
after such agreement, representation to others (within the State of Texas) that the parties are married.

tag: ol

text: Regarding the second prong, in the actual text of the Texas Family Code, there is no specification on the length of time that a couple must cohabitate to meet this requirement. As such, an informal marriage can occur under Texas law if the couple lives together for as little as one day, if the other requirements (an agreement to be married and holding out as married to the public) can be shown.

text: Likewise, a couple can cohabit for 50 years, but if they never have an agreement to be married, or hold themselves out to the public as married, their 50-year cohabitation will not make them informally married under Texas law.

text: Dissolution of this type marriage requires formal Annulment or Divorce Proceedings, the same as with the other more recognized forms of 'ceremonial' marriages.[55] However, if a couple does not commence a proceeding to prove their relationship was a marriage within two years of the end of their cohabitation and relationship, there is a legal presumption that they were never informally married, but this presumption is rebuttable.

text: Utah[edit]

text: Utah's status with common-law marriage is mixed. Government websites claim that common-law marriage does not exist in Utah.[56] However, other legal websites state that non-matrimonial relationships may be recognized as marriage within one year after the relationship ends.[57] This is very similar to common-law marriage.

text: Utah recognizes common-law marriages only if they have been validated by a court or administrative order. For a common-law marriage to be legal and valid, "a court or administrative order must establish that" the parties: (1) "are of legal age and capable of giving consent"; (2) "are legally capable of entering a solemnized marriage under the provisions of Title 30, Chap. 1 of the Utah Code; (3) "have cohabited"; (4) "mutually assume marital rights, duties, and obligations"; and (5) "hold themselves out as and have acquired a uniform and general reputation as husband and wife" [58] In Utah, the fact that two parties are legally incapable of entering into a common-law marriage, because they are already married, does not preclude criminal liability for bigamy or polygamy.

text: Also, non-matrimonial relationships may be recognized as marriage within one year after the relationship ends, via validation by the above mentioned court or administrative order.[57]

text: Legislation in states that do not recognize common-law marriage[edit]

text: Alabama[edit]

text: Since January 1, 2017, Alabama has abolished common-law marriage.[59] Common law marriages contracted before this date are still valid. A valid common-law marriage exists when there is capacity to enter into a marriage, the parties must be at least 16 with legal parental consent and present agreement or consent to be married, public recognition of the existence of the marriage, and consummation.[60]

text: California[edit]

text: California Family Code Section 308 provides that a marriage validly contracted in another jurisdiction is valid in California. Thus, a common-law marriage validly contracted in another jurisdiction is valid in California notwithstanding it could not be legally contracted within California; and a common-law marriage that was not validly contracted in another U.S. jurisdiction is not valid in California. All other states have similar statutory provisions. Exceptions to this rule are marriages deemed by the jurisdiction to be "odious to public policy". In general, states which have abolished common-law marriage continue to recognize such marriages contracted in the past (i.e. before the date when they were abolished).

text: Nevada[edit]

text: Nevada doesn't recognize common-law marriage. However, in Williams v. Williams, 120 Nev. 559, 97 P.3d 1124, 2004 Nev. LEXIS 84, 120 Nev. Adv. Rep. 64 (Nev. 2004), adopted the majority opinion of the putative spouse doctrine. This doctrine, accepted by a majority of states, is when a marriage is found to be void because of a prior legal impediment. In the Williams case, the wife and husband filed for a marriage, license, held a ceremony, and both felt they were married. However, Mr. Williams' divorce to a previous wife was found to have been dismissed by the court without Mr. Williams' knowledge. With his previous divorce not valid, under Nevada law his marriage to the new Mrs. Williams was void. He could not get married if he was still married. The Nevada courts ruled Mrs. Williams was a putative spouse and for the purposes of the new divorce against Mr. Williams, the courts would allow Mrs. Williams to plead for community property rights as much as any other spouse.

text: Pennsylvania[edit]

text: Pennsylvania's domestic relations marriage statute now reads: "No common-law marriage contracted after January 1, 2005, shall be valid. Nothing in this part shall be deemed or taken to render any common-law marriage otherwise lawful and contracted on or before January 1, 2005, invalid."[61] The situation in Pennsylvania became unclear in 2003 when an intermediate appellate court purported to abolish common-law marriage[62] even though the state Supreme Court had recognized (albeit somewhat reluctantly) the validity of common-law marriages only five years before.[63] The Pennsylvania legislature resolved most of the uncertainty by abolishing common-law marriages entered into after January 1, 2005.[64] However, it is still not certain whether Pennsylvania courts will recognize common-law marriages entered into after the date of the Stamos decision and before the effective date of the statute (i.e., after September 17, 2003, and on or before January 1, 2005), because the other intermediate appellate court has suggested that it might not follow the Stamos decision.[65]


document_title: Gremlins

question_text: when did the first gremlins movie come out

root

text: Gremlins

text: Plot[edit]

text: Randall Peltzer, a struggling inventor, visits a Chinatown antique store in the hope of finding a Christmas present for his son Billy. In the store, Randall encounters a small, furry creature called a mogwai (Cantonese: 魔怪, "monster"). The owner, Mr. Wing, refuses to sell the creature to Randall. However, his grandson secretly sells the mogwai to Randall, warning him to remember three important rules that must never be broken – do not expose the mogwai to bright lights or sunlight which will kill it, do not let it get wet, and never feed it after midnight.

tag: p

text: Randall returns home to Kingston Falls where he gives the mogwai to Billy as a pet. Billy works in the local bank, where he fears his dog Barney will be captured and killed by the elderly Mrs. Deagle. Randall names the mogwai “Gizmo” and Billy makes sure to treat him well. When Billy’s friend Pete spills a glass of water over Gizmo, five more mogwai spawn from his back, a more troublemaking sort led by the aggressive Stripe. Billy shows one of the mogwai to his former science teacher Mr. Hanson, spawning another mogwai, on whom Hanson experiments. Back at home, Stripe’s gang tricks Billy into feeding them after midnight by chewing out the power cord to his bedside clock. They make cocoons, as does Hanson’s mogwai. Shortly after, the cocoons hatch and they emerge as mischievous, reptilian monsters that torture Gizmo and try to murder Billy’s mother, while Hanson is killed by his gremlin.

text: All of the Gremlins are killed except Stripe, who escapes to a local YMCA and jumps into a swimming pool, spawning an army of gremlins who wreak chaos around Kingston Falls. Billy tries to warn the police, but they don’t believe him. Many people are injured or outright killed by the gremlins' rampage, including Mrs. Deagle, who is launched out of her house on a stair lift that has been sabotaged by the creatures. At the local bar, the gremlins have fun until the barmaid Kate Beringer, Billy’s girlfriend, flashes them with a camera and escapes into the bank with Billy and Gizmo. While hiding, she reveals her father died in a chimney while dressed as Santa Claus. Billy and Kate discover the town has fallen silent and the Gremlins are watching Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs in the local theater. They set off an explosion, killing all the Gremlins except Stripe.

text: Billy chases Stripe into a Montgomery Ward store, where Stripe climbs into a water fountain and tries to spawn more gremlins. Gizmo arrives in a toy car and opens a skylight, exposing Stripe to sunlight and melting him. In the aftermath of the rampage, Mr. Wing arrives to collect Gizmo, scolding the Peltzers for their carelessness, thinking the Western world is not ready but comments that Billy might some day be ready to care for Gizmo properly. Gizmo likewise believes so, having become attached to Billy. Mr. Wing departs with Gizmo in tow.

text: Cast[edit]

text:
Zach Galligan as Billy Peltzer
Phoebe Cates as Kate Beringer
Hoyt Axton as Randall "Rand" Peltzer
Frances Lee McCain as Lynn Peltzer
Corey Feldman as Pete Fountaine
Keye Luke as Mr. Wing (credited as "Grandfather", Mr. Wing's name is revealed in the 2nd film)
John Louie as Mr. Wing's grandson
Dick Miller as Murray Futterman
Jackie Joseph as Sheila Futterman
Polly Holliday as Mrs. Ruby Deagle
Judge Reinhold as Gerald Hopkins
Edward Andrews as Mr. Roland Corben
Glynn Turman as Mr. Roy Hanson
Belinda Balaski as Mrs. Joe Harris
Scott Brady as Sheriff Frank Reilly
Jonathan Banks as Deputy Brent Frye
Harry Carey, Jr. as Mr. Anderson
Kenny Davis as Dorry
Nicky Katt and Tracy Wells as Schoolchildren
Mushroom as Barney

tag: ul

text: Voices[edit]

text:
Frank Welker as Stripe
Howie Mandel as Gizmo
Don Steele as Rockin' Ricky Rialto
Marvin Miller as Robby the Robot (uncredited)

text: Mogwai and Gremlin vocal effects provided by Michael Winslow, Bob Bergen, Fred Newman, Peter Cullen, Mark Dodson, Bob Holt, and Michael Sheehan.

text: Cameos[edit]

text:
Steven Spielberg as Man riding Recumbent bicycle
Jim McKrell as TV News Reporter
Jerry Goldsmith as Man in Phone Booth
William Schallert as Father Bartlett
Chuck Jones as Mr. Jones, Billy's drawing mentor
Kenneth Tobey as Smoking Gas Station Attendant

text: Production[edit]

text: Background[edit]

text: Gremlins was produced at a time when combining horror and comedy was becoming increasingly popular. According to Professor Noël Carroll, Ghostbusters, released the same weekend as Gremlins, and the comic strip The Far Side also followed this trend. Carroll argued that there was now a new genre emphasizing sudden shifts between humorous and horrific scenes, drawing laughs with plot elements that have been traditionally used to scare.[1]

text: The notion of gremlins was first conceived during World War II when mechanical failures in aircraft were jokingly blamed on the small monsters. The term "gremlins" also entered popular culture as children's author Roald Dahl published a book called The Gremlins in 1943, based on the mischievous creatures.[2] Walt Disney considered making a film of it. A Bugs Bunny cartoon of the era, Falling Hare, has him battling a gremlin on an airplane. Joe Dante had read The Gremlins and said that the book was of some influence on his film. In 1983, Dante publicly distanced his work from earlier films, explaining, "Our gremlins are somewhat different—they're sort of green and they have big mouths and they smile a lot and they do incredibly, really nasty things to people and enjoy it all the while".[3][4]

text: Development[edit]

text: The story of Gremlins was conceived by Chris Columbus. As Columbus explained, his inspiration came from his loft, when at night "what sounded like a platoon of mice would come out and to hear them skittering around in the blackness was really creepy".[5] He then wrote the original screenplay as a spec script to show potential employers that he had writing abilities. The story was not actually intended to be filmed until Steven Spielberg took an interest in turning it into a film.[4] As Spielberg explained, "It's one of the most original things I've come across in many years, which is why I bought it."[3]

text: After deciding to executive produce the film, Spielberg chose Dante as his director because of his experience with horror-comedy; Dante had previously directed The Howling (1981); however, in the time between The Howling and the offer to film Gremlins, he had experienced a lull in his career.[4] The film's producer was Michael Finnell, who had also worked on The Howling with Dante. Spielberg took the project to Warner Bros. and co-produced it through his own company, Amblin Entertainment.

text: The film's script went through a few drafts before a shooting script was finalized. The first version was much darker than the final film. Various scenes were cut, including one which portrayed Billy's mother dying in her struggle with the gremlins, with her head thrown down the stairs when Billy arrives. Dante later explained the scene made the film darker than the filmmakers wanted. There was also a scene where the gremlins ate Billy's dog and a scene where the gremlins attacked a McDonald's, eating customers instead of burgers. Also, instead of Stripe being a mogwai who becomes a gremlin, there was originally no mogwai named Stripe; rather, Gizmo was supposed to transform into Stripe the gremlin. Spielberg overruled this plot element as he felt Gizmo was cute and that audiences would want him to be present throughout the film.[4]

text: A famous urban legend is referenced in the film,[6] in which Kate reveals in a speech that her father died at Christmas when he dressed as Santa Claus and broke his neck while climbing down the family's chimney. After the film was completed, the speech proved to be controversial, and studio executives insisted upon its removal, because they felt it was too ambiguous as to whether it was supposed to be funny or sad. Dante stubbornly refused to take the scene out, saying it represented the film as a whole, which had a combination of horrific and comedic elements. Spielberg did not like the scene but, despite his creative control, he viewed Gremlins as Dante's project and allowed him to leave it in.[4] A parody of this scene is featured in Gremlins 2: The New Batch.

text: Casting[edit]

text: Phoebe Cates was cast as Kate, Billy's girlfriend, despite concerns that she was known for playing more risqué parts, such as Linda Barrett in Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982). Spielberg urged the casting of the relatively unknown Zach Galligan as Billy because he saw chemistry between Galligan and Cates during auditions. Galligan later compared himself to Billy, saying he was a "geeky kid", and that being in the film "was really kind of a dream" given "what I get to do, what my character gets to do, blow up movie theatres", adding that he "got to work with great people".[7] Spielberg commented when Galligan was testing with Cates that "he's in love with her already" and that was how Galligan won the part.[8]

text: In contrast to Galligan, many of the supporting actors and actresses were better known. Veteran actor Glynn Turman portrayed the high school science teacher whose study of a newborn Mogwai leads to his death after it forms a cocoon and emerges as a vicious gremlin. Dick Miller, who was a regular in Dante's films, was another experienced actor on the set, playing a World War II veteran who first refers to the creatures as gremlins. Rand was played by Hoyt Axton, who was always the filmmakers' preferred choice for the role even though it was widely contested by other actors.[4] Axton's experience included acting as the father in The Black Stallion (1979), and he was also a country music singer-songwriter. After an introductory scene to Gremlins was cut, Axton's voice earned him the added role of the narrator to establish some context. Mr. Wing was played by Keye Luke, a renowned film actor, whose film career spanned half a century. Although in reality he was around 80 at the time of filming, and his character was very elderly, Luke's youthful appearance had to be covered by make-up.[4]

text: Corey Feldman, who up to that time had primarily been in commercials, played Pete Fountaine, establishing his early credentials as a child actor. Polly Holliday, an actress best known for her role in Alice, played Mrs. Deagle. Dante considered the casting fortunate, as she was well-known and he considered her to be talented. Two other well-known actors, Fast Times' Judge Reinhold and character actor Edward Andrews, received roles that were significantly reduced after the film was edited; they played Billy's superiors at the bank.[4]

text: Special effects[edit]

text: Some of the performances were shot on the backlot of Universal Studios in California (Mrs. Deagle's house was one such set as well as the opening street scenes in Chinatown, which were filmed on the Warner Bros. Studios backlot). This required fake snow; Dante also felt it was an atmosphere that would make the special effects more convincing. As the special effects relied mainly on puppetry (an earlier attempt to use monkeys was abandoned because the test monkey panicked when made to wear a gremlin head),[9] the actors worked alongside some of the puppets. Nevertheless, after the actors finished their work for good, a great deal of effort was spent finishing the effects. Numerous small rubber puppets, some of which were mechanical, were used to portray Gizmo and the gremlins. They were designed by Chris Walas. There was more than one Gizmo puppet, and occasionally Galligan, when carrying one, would set him down off camera, and when Gizmo appeared again sitting on a surface it was actually a different puppet wired to the surface. These puppets had many limitations. The Gizmo puppets were particularly frustrating because they were smaller and thus broke down more. Consequently, to satisfy the crew, a scene was included in which the gremlins hang Gizmo on a wall and throw darts at him. This was included on a list that the crew created known to them as the "Horrible Things to do to Gizmo" list.[4]

text: A few marionettes were also used. Other effects required large mogwai faces and ears to be produced for close-ups, as the puppets were less capable of conveying emotion. Consequently, large props simulating food were needed for the close-ups in the scene in which the mogwai feast after midnight. An enlarged Gizmo puppet was also needed for the scene in which he multiplies. The new mogwai, who popped out of Gizmo's body as small, furry balls which then started to grow, were balloons and expanded as such. Walas had also created the exploding gremlin in the microwave by means of a balloon that was allowed to burst.[4]

text: Howie Mandel provided the voice for Gizmo, and prolific voice actor Frank Welker provided the voice for Stripe. It was Welker who suggested Mandel perform in Gremlins. The puppets' lines were mostly invented by the voice actors, based on cues from the physical actions of the puppets, which were filmed before the voice work. When developing the voice for Gizmo, Mandel explained, "[Gizmo was] cute and naive, so, you know, I got in touch with that... I couldn't envision going any other way or do something different with it".[10] The majority of the other gremlins' voices were performed by Michael Winslow and Peter Cullen, while the remaining voices were done by Bob Bergen, Kevin Michael Richardson, Fred Newman, Mark Dodson, Bob Holt, and Michael Sheehan.

text: Music[edit]

text: The film's score was composed by Jerry Goldsmith, who won a Saturn Award for Best Music for his efforts. The main score was composed with the objective of conveying "the mischievous humor and mounting suspense of Gremlins".[5] Goldsmith also wrote Gizmo's song, which was hummed by a child actress and acquaintance of Goldsmith's, rather than Mandel himself.[4] Goldsmith also appears in the film (as does Steven Spielberg), in the scene where Rand calls home from the salesman's convention.

text: The soundtrack album was released by Geffen Records as a specially priced mini-album on LP and cassette (Goldsmith's music comprised all of side two) and reissued on compact disc in 1993 only in Germany.

text:
Gremlins...Mega Madness – Michael Sembello (3:50)
Make It Shine – Quarterflash (4:10)
Out/Out – Peter Gabriel (7:00)
The Gift (4:51)
Gizmo (4:09)
Mrs. Deagle (2:50)
The Gremlin Rag (4:03)

text: "Gremlins...Mega Madness" was also released as a single, with "The Gremlin Rag" as its B-side.

text: In 2011, Film Score Monthly issued a two-disc release of the soundtrack, with the complete score on disc one and the original soundtrack album on disc two (representing the latter's first North American CD issue); this was the label's final Jerry Goldsmith album.

text: DISC ONE: The Film Score

text:
Fanfare in C (Max Steiner) / The Shop / The Little One 4:30
Late for Work 1:46
Mrs. Deagle / That Dog 2:22
The Gift 1:45
First Aid 2:17
Spilt Water 3:02
A New One 1:10
The Lab / Old Times 2:35
The Injection 2:56
Snack Time / The Wrong Time 1:49
The Box 1:24
First Aid 1:39
Disconnected / Hurry Home 1:03
Kitchen Fight 4:06
Dirty Linen 0:43
The Pool 1:07
The Plow / Special Delivery 1:16
High Flyer 2:22
Too Many Gremlins 2:06
No Santa Claus 3:27
After Theatre 1:39
Theatre Escape / Stripe Is Loose / Toy Dept. / No Gizmo 4:36
The Fountain / Stripe's Death 5:42
Goodbye, Billy 2:56
End Title / The Gremlin Rag 4:10
Blues 2:17
Mrs. Deagle [film version] 1:27
God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen [traditional, arr. Alexander Courage] 1:12
After Theatre [with "Silent Night"] 1:36
After Theatre [without "Silent Night"] 1:36
Rabbit Rampage [Milt Franklyn] 0:47
The Gremlin Rag [full version] 3:35
Gizmo's New Song 0:35
Gizmo's Trumpet 0:30

text: Tracks 26–34 are listed as bonus tracks.

text: DISC TWO: 1984 Soundtrack Album

text:
Gremlins...Mega Madness – Michael Sembello 3:52
Make It Shine – Quarterflash 4:11
Out/Out – Peter Gabriel 7:02
The Gift 4:58
Gizmo 4:14
Mrs. Deagle 2:54
The Gremlin Rag 4:13

text: Rating[edit]

text: Along with Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, also rated PG, Gremlins was one of two films in 1984 to influence the MPAA to create the PG-13 rating, with Red Dawn being the first film released in theaters that was given the new rating in August 1984.[11] The scene in which a gremlin explodes in the microwave was particularly influential to the idea that some films too light to be rated R are still too mature to be rated PG. The change to the rating system was not insignificant; the rating PG-13 turned out to be appealing to many film patrons, as it implied some excitement without being too explicit.[11]

text: Reception[edit]

text: Critical reception[edit]

text: Film critics' reviews of Gremlins were mostly positive. Roger Ebert approved of the film, declaring it to not only be "fun", but also a "sly series of send-ups", effectively parodying many elemental film storylines. In his opinion, Gremlins did this partly through depictions of mysterious worlds (the shop in Chinatown) and tyrannical elderly women (Mrs. Deagle). Ebert also believed the rule in which a mogwai cannot eat after midnight was inspired by fairy tales, and that the final scenes parody classic horror films. He connected Kate's speech about her father with "the great tradition of 1950s sick jokes".[12] Conversely, Leonard Maltin disapproved of the film, and his view was made clear in remarks he made on the television show Entertainment Tonight. He called the film "icky" and "gross".[13] He later wrote that despite being set in a "picture-postcard town" and blending the feel of It's a Wonderful Life (a clip of which appears in Gremlins) with that of The Blob, the film is "negated by too-vivid violence and mayhem"; giving the film two out of four stars.[14] Maltin later made a cameo appearance in Gremlins 2, repeating his criticisms of the original on film, as an in-joke, before being throttled by the creatures; he later gave the second film a more positive rating, three out of four stars.

text: While some critics criticized the film's depictions of violence and greed—such as death scenes, Kate's speech, and the gremlins' gluttony—for lacking comic value, scholar Charlotte Miller instead interpreted these as a satire of "some characteristics of Western civilization", suggesting that Westerners may take too much satisfaction from violence. Gremlins can also be interpreted as a statement against technology, in that some characters, such as Billy's father, are overly dependent on it. In contrast, Mr. Wing is shown to have a strong distaste for television.[15] Kirkpatrick Sale also interpreted Gremlins as an anti-technology film in his book Rebels Against the Future.[16] Another scholar suggested that the film is meant to express a number of observations of society by having the gremlin characters shift in what they are meant to represent. At different times, they are depicted as teenagers, the wealthy establishment, or fans of Disney films.[17]

text: Another scholar drew a connection between the microwave scene and urban legends about pets dying in microwave ovens. He described the portrayal of this urban legend in the film as successful, but that meant it seemed terrible.[18] This is indeed a scene that is thought of as being one of the film's most violent depictions; with even Roger Ebert expressing some fear in his review that the film might encourage children to try similar things with their pets.[12]

text: Gremlins has been criticized for more than its depictions of violence. One BBC critic wrote in 2000 that "The plot is thin and the pacing is askew". However, that critic also complimented the dark humour contrasted against the ideal Christmas setting.[19] In 2002, another critic wrote that in hindsight, Gremlins has "corny special effects" and that the film will tend to appeal to children more so than to adults; he also said the acting was dull.[20]

text: Despite the initial mixed criticism, Gremlins has continued to receive critical praise over the years. It currently holds an 85% "Certified Fresh" rating on the review aggregate website Rotten Tomatoes,[21] and is considered by many as one of the best films of 1984.[22][23][24]

text: Allegations of racism[edit]

text: Since its release, some people have criticized Gremlins as being culturally insensitive. Jonathan Rosenbaum argued that the film presents gremlins as African Americans.[17] In Ceramic Uncles & Celluloid Mammies, Patricia Turner writes that the gremlins "reflect negative African-American stereotypes" in their dress and behavior. They are shown "devouring fried chicken with their hands", listening to black music, breakdancing, and wearing sunglasses after dark and newsboy caps, a style common among African American males in the 1980s.[25]

text: Box office[edit]

text: Financially, Gremlins was a success. Produced on an $11 million budget, it was more expensive than Spielberg had originally intended but still relatively cheap for its time.[4] The trailer introduced the film to audiences by briefly explaining that Billy receives a strange creature as a Christmas present, by going over the three rules, and then coming out with the fact that the creatures transform into terrible monsters. This trailer showed little of either the mogwai or the gremlins.[26] In contrast to this, other advertisements concentrated on Gizmo, overlooked the gremlins, and made the film look similar to Spielberg's earlier family film E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982).[11]

text: Gremlins was released into North American theaters on June 8, 1984, the same day as Ivan Reitman's Ghostbusters. Gremlins ranked second, with $12.5 million in its first weekend, $1.1 million less than Ghostbusters. By the end of its American screenings on November 29, it had grossed $148,168,459 domestically. This made it the fourth highest-grossing film of the year, behind Beverly Hills Cop, Ghostbusters, and Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.[27] In August 1984, it opened in Argentina and Spain, and in October it premiered in West Germany. Screenings began in Mexico, Australia, and much of the rest of Europe in December.[28] Since Gremlins had an international audience, different versions of the film were made to overcome cultural barriers. Mandel learned to speak his few intelligible lines, such as "Bright light!", in various languages, including German. Regional music and humor were also incorporated into foreign-language versions. Dante credited this work as being one of the factors which helped to make Gremlins a worldwide success.[4] However, many critics questioned the summer release date of the film in America, as the film takes place during the Christmas holiday season, causing them to comment that it should have had a Christmas release date instead.

text: In addition to this, there were also complaints from audiences about the violence depicted in the film. These complaints were particularly present in people who had brought their children to see the film, many of whom walked out of the theater before the film had ended. Dante admitted to reporters later that "the idea of taking a 4-year-old to see Gremlins, thinking it's going to be a cuddly, funny animal movie and then seeing that it turns into a horror picture, I think people were upset... They felt like they had been sold something family friendly and it wasn't entirely family friendly".[11]

text: The film became available to audiences again when it was brought back to theaters on August 30, 1985. This additional release brought its gross up to $153,083,102.[27]

text: Accolades[edit]

text:
Award
Date of ceremony
Category
Recipient(s)
Result
Ref(s)

Goldene Leinwand
March 27, 1985
Goldene Leinwand
Joe Dante
Won
[29]

Saturn Awards
June 9, 1985
Best Horror Film
Gremlins
Won
[30][31]

Best Director
Joe Dante
Won

Best Supporting Actor
Dick Miller
Nominated

Best Supporting Actress
Polly Holliday
Won

Best Younger Actor
Corey Feldman
Nominated

Best Writing
Chris Columbus
Nominated

Best Music
Jerry Goldsmith
Won

Best Special Effects
Chris Walas
Won

Best Make-Up
Greg LaCava
Nominated

Young Artist Awards
December 2, 1984
Best Family Motion Picture - Adventure
Gremlins
Won
[32]

Best Young Supporting Actor
Corey Feldman
Nominated

tag: table

text: Home media[edit]

text: Gremlins was released on VHS, CED Videodisc, and Beta in 1985, and made $79,500,000 in video rental stores.[33] The film was released on DVD in 1997 in a bare bones presentation. It included both full screen and widescreen versions and the film's trailer. It was repackaged in 1999 with the same disc, but a different cover. On August 20, 2002, a "special edition" DVD was released, which featured cast and filmmakers' commentary and deleted scenes. A 25th anniversary Blu-ray edition was released on December 1, 2009.

text: Merchandising[edit]

text: With its commercial themes, particularly the perceived cuteness of the character Gizmo, Gremlins became the center of considerable merchandising. Due to this, it became part of a rising trend in film, which had received a boost from Spielberg's E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial.[4] Manufacturers including LJN produced versions of Gizmo as dolls or stuffed animals. (The latter of which became a popular high demand toy during the holiday season of 1984.) Both Gizmo and the gremlins were mass-produced as action figures, and Topps printed trading cards based upon the film.[34] A product placement deal with fast food chain Hardee's also led to a series of five book-and-cassette/45 records adaptations of the film's story. Starting in the early 2000s, companies such as Jun Planning and the National Entertainment Collectibles Association produced all-new Gremlins toys and collectibles. In 2017 Trick or Treat Studios began producing official Gremlins life-size puppets of Stripe and Gizmo[35].

text: The film was also the basis for a novel of the same name by George Gipe, published by Avon Books in June 1984. The novel offered an origin for mogwai and gremlins as a prologue. Supposedly, mogwai were created as gentle, contemplative creatures by a scientist on an alien world. However, it was discovered that their physiology was unstable. The end result was that only 1 in 10,000 mogwai would retain their sweet, loving demeanor. The rest would change into creatures that the novel referred to as "mischievous". The minority mogwai (the 1 in 10,000) are all but immortal by human standards, though Gizmo explains to Stripe that if he were to undergo the transformation himself, he would become like the others, "short lived and violent." This origin is unique to the novel but is referred to in the novelization of Gremlins 2 by David Bischoff. No definitive origin for mogwai or gremlins is given in either Gremlins film.

text: In addition to this, Gremlins brand breakfast cereal was produced by Ralston concurrent to and for a few years after the first film was released in 1984. The front of the cereal box featured Gizmo, and inside were decals of the malevolent gremlins, including Stripe.[36]

text: Video games[edit]

text: Action-oriented video games[edit]

text: Several officially licensed video games based on the film have been produced. One of the first was Gremlins, released by Atari, Inc. for their 2600 console.

text: Atari, Inc. released a completely different[37] (and more technically advanced) game- also called Gremlins- for the Atari 5200 console and the Apple II, Commodore 64, and IBM PC computers. Although the Atari 5200 version went to manufacturing in 1984, the turmoil surrounding Jack Tramiel's takeover of Atari's consumer business resulted in it not being released until 1986.[37]

text: In the 2000s, more games were released; Gremlins: Unleashed! was released on Game Boy Color in 2001. The game was about Gizmo trying to catch Stripe and thirty other gremlins, while the gremlins also try to turn Gizmo into a gremlin. Both Gizmo and Stripe are playable characters in the game.[38]

text: A Gremlins Team Pack was released for Lego Dimensions on November 18, 2016. The pack includes minifigures of Gizmo and Stripe, a constructible polaroid camera and RC car, and grants access to an Adventure World and Battle Arena based on the film. Howie Mandel and Frank Welker reprise their respective roles as Gizmo and Stripe, while Phoebe Cates, Hoyt Axton and Frances Lee McCain reprise as non-playable characters Kate Beringer, Randall Peltzer and Lynn Peltzer respectively.[39][40]

text: Gremlins: The Adventure[edit]

text: At the time of the film's release, an interactive fiction game based on scenes from the film, entitled Gremlins: The Adventure (1985), was released for various home computers, including the Acorn Electron, the BBC Micro, the Commodore 64 and the ZX Spectrum. The game was written by Brian Howarth for Adventure Soft and was text-based, with full-color illustrations on some formats.

text: Legacy[edit]

text: The film not only spawned the sequel, Gremlins 2: The New Batch, and an advertisement for British Telecom,[41] but is believed to have been the inspiration for several unrelated films about small monsters. These include Critters,[42] Ghoulies,[18] Troll,[43] Hobgoblins[44] and Munchies.[45]

text: In music, the Scottish post-rock band Mogwai are named after the film's creatures: as for the reason for the band chose this as their name, their guitarist, Stuart Braithwaite, has stated that "it has no significant meaning and we always intended on getting a better one, but like a lot of other things we never got round to it".[46] Welsh singer and songwriter Rod Thomas performs under the name Bright Light Bright Light, which is a direct quote from the film.[47]

text: In January 2013, Vulture reported that Warner Bros. was negotiating with Amblin Entertainment to reboot the Gremlins franchise.[48] Seth Grahame-Smith was tapped to produce, alongside David Katzenberg.[49] In January 2015, Grahame-Smith stated that the project has been put on hold.[50] In November 2015, Zach Galligan confirmed that the third film will be a sequel and not a reboot.[51]

text: In a December 2016 interview with Bleeding Cool, Galligan again spoke about a third film saying that "Warner Bros. definitely wants it, Chris Columbus wants to do it because he’d like to undo the Gremlins 2 thing as he wasn’t thrilled with it, and Spielberg wants to." He claimed Gremlins 3 is being written by Carl Ellsworth.[52] In an interview with /Film in 2017, a script was written by Chris Columbus. His script explored the idea that has been on the fan's mind for a long time: "if all the gremlins come from getting Gizmo wet and feeding his mogwai offspring after midnight, should Gizmo be eliminated?" He described his script as "twisted and dark".[53]

text: In 2017, gremlins were featured in the animated film The Lego Batman Movie, with director Chris McKay explaining he loved the characters. The gremlins were among numerous villains from outside of the Batman franchise playing a role in the film, with many of the added antagonists owned by Warner Bros.[54]


document_title: Legal drinking age

question_text: what's the legal age to drink in russia

question_tokens: what 's the legal age to drink in russia

text: Legal drinking age

text: Africa[edit]

text: The most common minimum age to purchase alcohol in Africa is 18. Although it varies from the lowest age limit in Ethiopia being only 15 years, Zimbabwe with a minimum purchase age of 16 years, Gambia with a age limit of 17 years and Uganda where the minimum legal purchase age is 18 but minors aged 16 or 17 may consume a glass of beer, wine or cider with a meal at a restaurant. Cameroon and Egypt are the only countries in Africa with a minimum purchase age of 21 years. However Algeria, Angola (except Luando Province), Central African Republic, Comoros, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, Morocco, Togo, Tunisia and the Western Sahara have no laws on the book restricting the sale of alcohol to minors. In Libya, Somalia and Sudan the sale, production and consumption of alcohol is completely prohibited.

text:
Country
State/Region/Province
De jure
Notes

Drinking age
Purchase age

 Algeria
None[3]

 Angola

None[3]
There is no national legislation prohibiting the sale of alcohol to minors.

Luanda Province:
18[4]
Legislation in Luanda Province:
It is illegal to sell alcoholic beverages to anyone under the age of 18. It is also illegal for minors to buy and consume alcohol.[4]

 Botswana
None[5]
18[5]
It is illegal for any person with a liquor license to sell or supply alcoholic beverages to minors under the age of 18 years. Because the law only applies to licensees it is not illegal for minors to buy, consume or possess alcoholic beverages.

 Burundi
None[6]
18 (None if accompanied by parent or legal guardian)[6]
It is illegal for any person with a liquor license to sell or supply alcoholic beverages to unaccompanied minors under the age of 18 years.

 Cameroon
21/18 (if accompanied by a person 21 years of age or older)[7]
It is illegal for any person with a liquor license, to sell or supply alcoholic beverages to anyone under 18 years of age. The law permits adults from the ages 18 to 21 to consume, purchase and buy alcoholic beverages if accompanied by a person 21 years of age or older. Anyone over the age of 21 years may buy or consume alcohol unaccompanied.

 Cape Verde
None[8]
18[8]
It is illegal for any person to sell or supply alcoholic beverages to minors under the age of 18 years.

 Central African Republic
None[3]

 Comoros
None[3]

 Egypt
21[3]

 Equatorial Guinea
None[3]

 Eritrea
None[9]
18[9]
It is illegal for any person to sell or serve alcoholic beverages to minors under the age of 18 years.

 Ethiopia
None[10]
15[10]
It is illegal for any person to sell, offer, serve or allow to serve alcoholic beverages "in substantial quantities" to any infant or young person. The criminal code defines a young person as any person under the age of 15 years. But the Criminal Code states: "Whoever endangers the health of another, intentionally and unscrupulously, by administering or serving, or by causing or permitting to be administered or served, to minors (defined as anyone under the age of 18 years) (...) alcoholic beverages or spirituous liquors of such kind or in such quantity as to make their injurious effect certain or probable, is punishable with simple imprisonment not exceeding one year, and fine."

 Gabon
None[3]

 Gambia
None[11][3]
17[11][3]
It is illegal to sell, serve or supply alcoholic beverages to child or young person. A "young person" is defined as anyone under the age of 17 by the Children and Young Persons Act, 1949 Section 2.

 Ghana
18[12]

 Guinea-Bissau
None[3]

 Kenya
None[13]
18[13]
It is illegal to sell, serve or supply alcoholic beverages to anyone under the age of 18 years.

 Lesotho
18[14]
It is illegal to sell, serve or supply any alcoholic beverage to a minor under the age of 18 years. It is also illegal for minors to consume, buy or attempt to buy alcohol.

 Liberia
None
18[3]
It is illegal to sell, serve or supply alcoholic beverages to anyone under the age of 18 years.

 Libya
Illegal[15]
Previously Article 498 of the Libyan Penal Code prohibted the sale of alcoholic beverages to juveniles under the age of 16 years.[3]

 Malawi
None
18[16]
It is illegal to sell, serve or supply alcoholic beverages to anyone under the age of 18 years.

 Mauritius
None
18[17]
It is illegal to sell, serve or supply alcoholic beverages to anyone under the age of 18 years.

 Morocco
None[3]

 Mozambique
18[18]

 Namibia
None
18[19]
It is illegal to sell, serve or supply alcoholic beverages to anyone under the age of 18 years.

 Niger
18[3]

 Nigeria
18[3]

 Republic of the Congo
None
18[20]

 Rwanda
18[3]

 Senegal
18[21]

 Seychelles
18[3]

 Somalia
Illegal[22]

 South Africa
18
The parent, adult guardian of a minor or a person responsible for administering a religious sacrament, may on occasion supply to that minor a moderate quantity of liquor to be consumed by the minor in the presence and under the supervision of that parent, guardian or other person.[23]

 South Sudan
18[3]

 Sudan
Illegal[24]

 Swaziland
18[3]

 Tanzania
None
18[25]

 Togo
None[3]

 Tunisia
None[3]

 Uganda
None[26]
18
16 (wine, beer, porter, cider, perry or native liquor with meal)[26]
It is illegal for any licensee to sell, serve or supply alcoholic beverages to anyone under the age of 18 years. The law provides a exception for anyone who is 16 or 17 years of age, and consumes a fermented alcoholic drink with a meal, in a part of a licensed premises that serves meals and is not a bar.

 Western Sahara
None[3]

 Zambia
18[27]
It is illegal for any person with a liquor license, to sell, serve or supply alcoholic beverages to anyone under 18 years of age. Before the Liquor Licensing Act was enacted in 2011, the minimum age to sell, serve and supply alcoholic beverages was 14 years.[28]

 Zimbabwe
None[29]
16 [29]
It is illegal for any person to sell, lend, give, supply, deliver or offer alcoholic beverages to any child under the age of 16 years, except upon production of a written order signed by the parent or guardian of the child known to such person. The police has the duty to seize any alcoholice beverage in the possession of a child under the age of 16 years without a written consent of the parents or legal guardian.

text: Americas[edit]

text: The minimum age to purchase and consume varies, but the most common age is 18 years. However in North America the age limits varies between 18 and 21 years of age. Throughout the United States the minimum legal age to purchase any alcoholic beverage from a shop, supermarket, liquor store, bar, club or any other licensed premises is 21 years of age. In Canada each province can decide which minimum age limit is to be set to buy or consume alcohol. Most provinces have a minimum age of 19 years, while Alberta, Manitoba and Quebec have set a minimum age of 18 years. In South America all countries have set a minimum purchase age of 18 years, except for Guyana where minors aged 16 or 17 may consume a glass of beer, wine or cider in a restaurant provided they buy a meal, and Paraguay the only country with a minimum legal purchase and drinking age of 20 years.

text:
Country
State/Region/Province
De jure
Notes

Drinking age
Purchase age

 Anguilla
None[30]
18 [30]
It is illegal to sell or serve alcoholic drinks to anyone under the age of 18 years. Violating the regulation is punished with a $9.600 fine.

 Antigua and Barbuda
None
16[31]
The sale and distribution of alcohol to a person under 16 years of age is illegal.

 Argentina
18[32]

 Bahamas
18[33]
It is illegal for any adult to sell, serve or supply any alcoholic beverage to a child (defined as anyone under the age of 18 years). The law provides a exception to treat a illness in urgent cases or upon order by a medical doctor.

 Barbados
None
16[34]
It is illegal to sell or serve any alcoholic beverage to anyone under the age of 16 years. The President of the Barbados Road Safety Association is trying to raise the drinking age to 18 years due to the fact that the law is often violated.[34]

 Belize
18[35]
Drinking age is rarely enforced. IDs are almost never requested.

 Bermuda
18[36]
It is illegal to sell or serve any alcoholic beverage to a child under the age of 18 years.

 Bolivia
None[37]
18 [37]
It is illegal to sell or serve alcoholic beverages to minors under the age of 18 years. Every sold alcoholic beverage has to have a warning message on the bottle or container reading: “VENTA PROHIBIDA A MENORES DE 18 AÑOS DE EDAD” (Sale prohibited to (anyone) under 18 years of age) and “EL CONSUMO EXCESIVO DE ALCOHOL ES DAÑINO PARA LA SALUD” (Excessive alcohol consumption is harmful to (ones) health).

 Brazil
None[38]
18 [38]
It is illegal to sell, serve or supply any alcoholic beverage to a person under 18 years of age. The presidential law enacted on March 17 2015 made any violation of the law a criminal offence. Any adult person selling, serving, giving or supplying alcoholic beverages to a minor is punished with imprisonment of 2 to 4 years, a fine of R$ 3.000 to R$ 10.000 and a ban to operate any business selling or serving alcohol.

 British Virgin Islands
16[35]
It is illegal to sell or to supply alcohol to anyone under the age of 16.

 Canada
 Alberta
 Manitoba
 Quebec
18[39][40][41]
In Alberta no person may give or sell or permit any person to give or sell liquor to a minor in licensed premises.[39] In Manitoba a person must not give, sell or otherwise supply liquor to a minor. the law provides exceptions for a doctor, dentist, pharmacist or other health care professional for medical purposes; for sacramental purposes and by the parent, guardian, spouse or common-law partner, if it is given or supplied in a residence.[40] In Quebec the law probits the sale of alcoholic beverages to a minor under the age of 18 years.[41]

 Ontario
 Saskatchewan
 British Columbia
 Newfoundland and Labrador
 Nova Scotia
 New Brunswick
 Prince Edward Island
 Northwest Territories
 Yukon
 Nunavut
19

 Cayman Islands
18[42]
It is prohibited to sell, serve or supply alcoholic beverages to anyone under the age of 18 years. It is also illegal for any minor to buy, attempt to buy or consume alcoholic beverages. Violation of the lawis punished with a fine of five thousand dollars, and the court may, if the offence was committed by the licensee, order that the licensee shall forfeit his licence and that no licence may be issued to that person for a period not exceeding ten years from the date of his conviction.

 Chile
18[43]
The minimum age is 18 to enter an enclosure that sells alcoholic beverages. Selling alcohol to a minor may incur a fine. One must provide identification upon request. Residents of Chile over the age of 18 must carry their Chilean identification card issued by the Civil Registry and Identification Service at all times.[44]

 Colombia
None
18[45]
The law prohibits the sale of alcohol to a minor (anyone under the age of 18 years). It is not illegal for minors to buy, attempt to buy or consume alcohol.[45]

 Costa Rica
None
18[46]
The law prohibits the sale of alcohol to a minor (anyone under the age of 18 years). Selling alcohol to a minor will be punished with a fine equivalent to ten basic salaries. Whoever permits minors to maintain in any establishment which main purpose is to sell alcoholic beverages, will be sanctioned with a fine equivalent to five salaries. It is not illegal for minors to buy, attempt to buy or consume alcohol.[46]

 Cuba
None
16[47]
The penal code prohibits any adult to induce any young person under the age of 16 years, to habitually consume alcoholic beverages. However this means that defacto anyone selling, serving or supplying alcohol should check if the buyer has attained the age of 16 years. In most cases this law is not strictly enforced.[47][48]

 Dominican Republic
None
18[49]

 Ecuador
None
18[50]
It is illegal to sell alcohol beverages to a minor under the age of 18 years of age. The law obligates establishments to place a visible notice at the point of sale and to check identification to enforce the law. However it is not illegal for minors to buy, attempt to buy or consume alcohol.[50]

 El Salvador
None
18[51]
It is strictly prohibited to sell or serve alcoholic beverages to a minor under the age of 18 years. Violation of the law is punished with ¢ 25,000.00 and if convicted once more the license will be suspended for a period of six months. It is legal for minors to buy, attempt to buy and consume alcohol.[51]

 Falkland Islands
18[52]
It is illegal for any adult to sell, give or provide alcohol to a minor under the age of 18 years in any public place or licensed premises. Parents may permit their children to consume alcohol on private premises. Minors consuming alcohol in public are committing a criminal offence. The law provides exceptions for the consumption of alcohol by minors for prescription of or at the direction of a government medical officer or in the course of the administration of Holy Communion according to the rites of any Christian denomination.[52]

 Grenada
18[53]
It is illegal to sell, serve or supply any alcoholic drink to a minor under 18 years of age. Minors under 18 years are prohibited by law, to consume alcoholic beverages in public.[53]

 Guatemala
18[54]
It is illegal to sell, serve or supply any alcoholic drink to a minor under 18 years of age. Minors under 18 years are prohibited by law, to consume alcoholic beverages in public.[54]

 Guyana
18/16 for beer, wine and cider with meal[55]
It is illegal to sell or serve alcool to a person under 18 years of age. The law provides a exception for minors aged 16 and 17, if they consume a glass of beer, wine oder cider with a meal in a restaurant. Otherwise attempting to buy alcohol or buying alcohol as a minor is a offence.[55]

 Haiti
None
18[56]
It is illegal to sell or serve alcohol to minors from May 17 2017. Vendors are required to check identification.

 Honduras
18[43]

 Jamaica
None
18[57]
It is illegal to sell or serve any alcoholic beverage to a child (which is defined as anyone under the age of 18 years).[57]

 Mexico
18[43]
The minimum age to buy and consume alcoholic beverages is regulated by each state of Mexico. But all states have set a minimum age of 18 years, and in no state it is illegal for minors to buy and consume alcohol.

 Nicaragua
None
14 (restaurant)
18 (bars, clubs, markets, supermarkets, sports and recreation centers)[58]
The law from 1980 prohibits the sale of alcoholic beverages to minors under the age of 18 years. Ever point of sale or establishment serving alcohol, is required to post a notice stating that the sale of alcohol to minors under 18 years of age is illegal. However the law permits children as young as 14 to purchase and consume alcohol in a restaurant without further restrictions.[58]

 Panama
None
18[59]

 Paraguay
20[60]
According to Art. 1° of the law to "ban on the sale of alcoholic beverages to minors", it is illegal to serve or sell alcohol or to allow the consumption by minors under 20 years of age. Furthermore, under Art 2° all public establishments selling alcohol must display a clearly legible notice in the sales area with the following text: "ESTA PROHIBIDA LA VENTA DE BEBIDAS ALCOHÓLICAS A MENORES DE VEINTE AÑOS DE EDAD" (It is illegal (prohibited) to sell alcoholic beverages to minors under 20 years of age)

 Peru
None
18[61]

 Puerto Rico
18

 Trinidad and Tobago
None
18[62]
It is illegal to sell, serve or supply alcoholiv beverages to child under the age of 18 years. It is also illegal for an adult to send a child to buy alcohol on behalf. It is not illegal for children to buy or consume alcohol.[62]

 Turks and Caicos Islands
None
18[63]
It is illegal to serve or sell liquor to a young person under the age of eighteen years. Minors under the age of sixteen years may not present in a licensed premises mainly serving and selling alcoholic beverages.[63]

 United States
(50 states and integral territories)
Varies by jurisdiction[43]
21[43]
The National Minimum Drinking Age Act of 1984 withholds revenue from states that allow the purchase of alcohol by anyone under the age of 21. Prior to the effective date of that Act, the drinking age varied from state to state. Some states do not allow those under the legal drinking age to be present in liquor stores or in bars (usually, the difference between a bar and a restaurant is that food is served only in the latter). Contrary to popular belief, since the act went into law, only a few states prohibit minors and young adults from consuming alcohol in private settings. As of January 1, 2010, 15 states and the District of Columbia ban underage consumption outright, 17 states do not ban underage consumption, and the remaining 18 states have family member or location exceptions to their underage consumption laws.
Federal law explicitly provides for religious exceptions. As of 2005, 31 states have family member or location exceptions to their underage possession laws. However, non-alcoholic beer in many (but not all) states, such as Idaho, Texas, and Maryland, is considered legal for those under the age of 21.[64]
By a judge's ruling, South Carolina appears to allow the possession and consumption of alcohol by adults 18 to 20 years of age, but a circuit court judge has said otherwise.[65]
The states of Washington and Wisconsin allows the consumption of alcohol in the presence of parents.
Some U.S. states have legislation that make providing to and possession of alcohol by persons under twenty-one a gross misdemeanor with a potential penalty of a $5,000 fine or up to year in jail.[66]
See also: Minor in Possession and List of alcohol laws of the United States

 United States Virgin Islands
18[67]

 Uruguay
None
18[68]
Only selling alcohol to minors under the age of 18 is prohibited, consumption and purchase by minors is not illegal.

 Venezuela
None
18[69]
Only selling alcohol to minors under the age of 18 is prohibited, consumption and purchase by minors is not illegal.[69]

text: Asia[edit]

text:
Country
State/Region/Province
De jure
Notes

Drinking age
Purchase age

 Afghanistan
Illegal[70]

 Bangladesh
(Illegal for Muslims.)[71]
Alcohol will be sold to foreigners in certain locations, albeit clandestinely.[citation needed]

 Bhutan
18[72]

 Brunei
17 with restrictions, unless Muslim[43]
Non-Muslims over 17 years of age are allowed to import alcohol not to exceed maximum total volume 2 liters of liquor and 12 cans of beer at 330 ml for personal use, once in 48 hours. This alcohol must be “stored and consumed at the place of residence of the importer” and is “not to be given, transferred or sold to another person.”.[43]

 Cambodia
None[73]

 China
18[43]
Introduced in January 2006.[74]

 Hong Kong
18[75]
The regulation is only applicable to restaurants, bars and clubs, where a liquor license is required. Private drinking is also not regulated.[citation needed]

 India
18–25 (varies by jurisdiction)[43]

Main article: Alcohol laws of India
Consumption of alcohol is illegal in the states of Bihar, Gujarat and Nagaland.[76]

 Indonesia
21[77]

 Iran
Illegal [43]
There is a ban on alcohol, but religious minorities may purchase small amounts from shops owned by the same religious minority.[78]

 Iraq
Illegal[79]

 Israel
None
18[43]
Israel law prohibits selling or serving alcohol to minors, but it does not prohibit minors to drink, although the police may confiscate alcoholic drinks consumed by minors in public.[citation needed]

 Japan
20[43]

 Jordan
18[80]

 Kazakhstan
21[81]

 Kuwait
Illegal[82]

 Kyrgyzstan
18[43]

 Lebanon
18[43]
Often unenforced and according to a global school health study, 40% of minors over 13 drink alcohol and up to 25% buy it from stores.[83]

 Macau
None[84]

 Malaysia
21
Increased from 18 to 21 in December 2017.[85]

 Maldives
Illegal except for tourists, 18[citation needed]
Sale of alcohol is limited to tourist resorts. It is illegal to sell alcohol to local Maldivians[86]

 Mongolia
18[87]

 Myanmar
None
18[88]

   Nepal
18
The legal age for consumption of alcohol in Nepal is 18. However, there are exceptions to underage consumption for purposes of religious ceremonies.[citation needed]

 North Korea
18[89]

 Oman
21
Residents need personal liquor licenses to consume alcohol in their private residences.[90][91]

 Pakistan
Illegal (18 for non-Muslims) [43]
Non-Muslim citizens may possess alcohol to be used in accordance with religious ceremonies[43]

 Palestinian Authority
16[citation needed]
Legal in most cities.[citation needed]

 Philippines
18[92]

 Qatar
Illegal[citation needed]
Muslims are allowed to purchase alcohol, but generally not allowed to consume. Non Muslims are allowed to purchase, and consume alcohol. The only legal distributor of alcohol in the country is the Qatar Distribution Company located in Doha.[citation needed]

 Saudi Arabia
Illegal
Drinking or possessing alcohol is illegal in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Persons who drink or possess alcohol are subject to arrest and trial. Punishments range from heavy fines, lengthy prison terms and whippings.[citation needed]

 Singapore
None (Private places, sometimes with permission from parents/guardian)
18 (Public places e.g. bars and restaurants)
18[43]
For convenience stores, those who pretend to be 18 years and above in a "Challenge 18" scheme will be downgraded to "Challenge 21" scheme, and after which the licences will be revoked once they pretend to be 18 years and above if it is on "Challenge 21".[citation needed]. It is illegal to purchase alcohol in Singapore or consume in a nightclub/allow entry to the nightclub under 18. Home and private drinking of alcohol is allowed, although the safest age could be 6. Parents can try a sip of alcohol at any age.[citation needed]

 South Korea
None
19[93]
The age limit for alcohol is after January 1 of the year one's age turns to 19.[94]

 Sri Lanka
21[43]

 Syria
18[citation needed]

 Taiwan
18[95]

It is illegal for anyone under the age of 18 to consume alcohol.[96]
Parents, guardians, and others taking care of people under 18 shall prohibit underage drinking,[97] or risk administrative fines of 10000 to 50000 new Taiwan dollars when the situations are serious.[98]
One shall not supply alcohol to anyone under the age of 18.[99] A violator shall be administratively fined 3000 to 15000 New Taiwan Dollars.[100]

 Tajikistan
18[43]

 Thailand
20[101]
The Alcoholic Beverage Control Act of 2008 increased the drinking age in Thailand from 18 to 20, private drinking is not regulated in private locations.[101][102]

 Turkmenistan
18[43]

 United Arab Emirates
18–21 (varies by jurisdiction).[103]
Expatriate non-Muslim residents may request a liquor permit to purchase alcoholic beverages, but it is illegal for such holders to provide drinks to others.[104]
The legal age for drinking alcohol is 18 in Abu Dhabi (although a Ministry of Tourism by-law allows hotels to serve alcohol only to those over 21), and 21 in Dubai and the Northern Emirates (except Sharjah, where drinking alcohol is illegal).[103]
It is a punishable offence to drink, or to be under the influence of alcohol, in public.[103]

 Uzbekistan
None
20[43]

 Vietnam
18[43]

 Yemen
Illegal[citation needed]
Exception is in Aden Region where it's legal for 21 and up[citation needed]

text: Europe[edit]

text: Most countries within Europe have set 18 as the minimum age to purchase alcohol. Although Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Denmark, Germany, Gibraltar, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Serbia and Switzerland (except Ticino) maintain a minimum purchase age below 18 years permitting minors either full or limited access to alcohol. In 2005[105], 2007[106] and recently in 2015[107] the European Union has failed to enact a law forcing member states to raise their purchase age to 18 years. But in the past years several European countries have raised their drinking/purchase age or enacted laws restricting the access to alcohol for minors:

text:
In 2002 the autonomous communities Madrid,[108] Valencia[109] and Catalonia[110] raised their minimum purchase age to 18 years. Previous to 2002 Valencia and Madrid had a minimum purchase age of 16 years, and in Catalonia minors aged 16 or 17 could purchase alcohol up to 23% ABV on and off premises.
In 2004 Denmark[111] raised its off premises purchase age from 15 to 16 years.
In November 2005 Switzerland passed its "Food and Commodities Regulation"[112] (German: Lebensmittel- und Gebrauchsgegenständeverordnung), introducing a ban on alcohol sales to anyone under the age of 16, although the 1980 passed "Alcohol Law"[113] (German: Alkoholgesetz) already required a minimum age of 18 years for the retail sale of distilled spirits. Therefore, it is illegal to sell fermented alcohol (e.g. beer, wine, sparkling wine or cider) to anyone under the age of 16, and any distilled alcoholic beverages to anyone under the age of 18 years. Further the canton of Ticino introduced a contonal law in 1989 banning all alcohol sales to anyone under the age of 18 years.[114]
In 2006 the autonomous communitie Castile and León[115] raised its minimum purchase age from 16 to 18 years.
In late 2006, Gibraltar[116] lawmakers passed the "Children and Young Persons (Alcohol, Tobacco and Gaming) Act 2006", which raised the minimum purchase age from 16 to 18 years. But the new law made an exception: minors aged 16 or 17 can purchase and consume on premises beer, wine or cider under 15% ABV or pre-packed containers of an alcoholic strength not exceeding 5.5% ABV (e.g. alcopops).
In 2009 France[117] raised its minimum purchase age to 18 years, and fines were increased for selling or serving alcohol to a minor (up to 7,500 €). Previous to 2009 the minimum age to purchase any alcohol from off licensed premises was 16 years. In order to purchase alcohol on premises the minimum age was 16 years for low alcoholic beverages such as wine, beer, cider, perry, mead, crème de cassis and juices from fermented fruits or vegetables that contain 1.2 to 3° alcohol, natural sweet wines from controlled cultivation – to purchase or be served stronger alcoholic drinks one had to be 18 years of age.
In October 2009, the government of Malta[118] passed a new law raising its drinking and purchase age from 16 to 17 years.
In 2010 the autonomous community of Galicia raised its minimum purchase age from 16 to 18 years.[119]
In 2011 Denmark[120] passed a new law, raising the minimum age for off-premises sale of alcohol >16.5% ABV to 18 years of age. The age to purchase alcohol <16.5% ABV remaines at 16.
Italy raised its minimum purchase age from 16 to 18 in 2012. Previously Italy did not have a purchase age for off-premises sales, and the minimum age of 16 years for on premises sales was barely enforced. [121]
In 2013 the government of Portugal restricted alcohol sales to young people: distilled spirits can not be sold to anyone under the age of 18, and other alcohol (e.g. beer, wine or cider) can't be sold to anyone under the age of 16. Previously the minimum age for all kinds of alcoholic beverages was 16 years.[122]
As of 1 January 2014, the minimum legal purchase and consumption age was raised from 16 to 18 in the Netherlands. Previously young people over the age of 16 could purchase and consume alcohol <15% ABV, and adults aged 18 and over could purchase alcohol over 15% ABV.[123]
As of March 2015, the autonomous community of Asturias raised its drinking age from 16 to 18 years. Asturias was Spain's last community with a drinking age of 16 years. The new law brings the drinking age into line with the rest of Spain.[124]
As of 1 January 2018, Lithuania raised its minimum drinking age from 18 to 20 years[125]

text:
Country
State/Region/Province
De jure
Notes

Drinking age
Purchase age

 Albania
18[43]

 Andorra
18[126]

 Armenia
None[127]
18[127]
There are no laws mandating alcohol vendors to ID potential underage drinkers. ID checks are very rarely, if ever, carried out[127]

 Austria
 Burgenland
 Lower Austria
 Vienna
16
[128]

 Carinthia
 Upper Austria
 Salzburg
 Styria
 Tyrol
 Vorarlberg
16 (beer, wine and cider)
18 (distilled beverages)
Carinthia also requires adolescents to maintain a blood alcohol level below 0.05%.[128]

 Azerbaijan
None[129]
18[129]
It is illegal to sell or serve alcohol to a minor under 18 years of age.[129]

 Belarus
None[130]
18[130]
The law prohibits the sale of alcohol to anyone under the age of 18 years. However, the law is rarely enforced.[130]

 Belgium
None[131]
16 (beer, wine and cider)
18 (spirits)[131]
Since 10 January 2010, it is illegal to "sell, serve, or offer" any form of distilled alcohol to those under the age of 18 or any alcoholic drink to those under 16. So fermented drinks like beer or wine are permitted above 16.[131] Previously, it was illegal to sell alcoholic drinks to under-16s, but accompanying adults could buy drinks for them.

 Bosnia and Herzegovina
None[132]
18[132]
Selling alcohol to a minor under the age of 18 years is a offence. The law does not prohibit minors from buying, attempting to buy or consuming alcohol.[132]

 Bulgaria
None[133]
18[133]
By law, it is illegal to serve or sell alcohol to any child under the age of 18. There is no restrictions for minors consuming alcohol.[133]

 Croatia
None[134]
18[134]
It is prohibited to sell or serve alcohol to anyone under 18 years of age. There is no minimum age to buy or consume alcohol by law.[134]

 Cyprus
None[135]
17[135]
It is illegal to sell or serve alcohol to anyone under the age of 17 years. There is no minimum age to buy, attempt to buy or consume alcohol in public.[135]

 Czech Republic
None
18[136]
It is illegal to provide alcohol to minors[137] (punishable by fine or up to 1[138] or 2[139] year(s) imprisonment). Consumption itself is not prohibited by law.[140]

 Denmark
None
16 (<16.5% ABV)
18 (≥16.5% ABV)
While there is no age requirement for drinking alcohol in Denmark, there are laws that prevent minors from buying alcohol:

In order to buy alcohol above 1.2% and below 16.5% ABV in stores, one must be 16 years of age.
In order to buy alcohol above 16.5% ABV in stores, one must be 18 years of age.[141]

By tradition, youths are privately allowed to drink alcohol after their confirmation.[142] If a shop or bar fails to ask for an ID card and is identified having sold alcohol to an underage, it is subject to fine. A national ID card, obtained in the local town hall, can serve as age verification.[143] This card is rarely used though since a passport or drivers license is more commonly used.[144]
Both the legal drinking and purchasing age in the Faroe Islands is 18.[citation needed]

 Estonia
18[145]
It is illegal to sell, serve or supply alcoholic beverages to anyone under the age of 18 years. Alcohol found in possession of any child can be confiscated by the police.

 Finland
18 (possession and purchase of 1.2–22% ABV)
20 (for possession and purchase of 23–80% ABV)
18 (for all in bars, clubs and restaurants)[146]
All major grocery chains have implemented a policy to ask for ID if the customer looks under 30.[147] Stores may refuse to sell alcohol if the customer is accompanied by a minor, or if proxy purchasing is suspected. Purchasing alcohol on behalf of a minor is a criminal offence.[146][148]
Police may search minors in public places and confiscate or destroy any alcoholic beverages in their possession. Incidents are reported to the legal guardian and social authorities, who may intervene with child welfare procedures. In addition, those aged 15 or above are subject to a fine.[149]
In private, offering alcohol to a minor is considered a criminal offence if it results in drunkenness and the act can be deemed reprehensible as a whole, considering the minor's age, degree of maturity and other circumstances.[146]

 France
None
18
France has no explicitly stated consumption age,[150] but selling alcohol to a minor (under 18) is illegal[151] and can be fined 7500 euros.[150] This age was raised from 16 to 18 in 2009.[152][153]

 Georgia
None[154]
18[154]
By Georgian law, the sale of alcoholic beverages to anyone under the age of 18 years is prohibited.[154]

 Germany
14(beer, wine and cider if accompanied)
16 (beer, wine and cider)
18 (spirits and aliments containing spirits above negligible amounts)[155]
It is illegal to sell, serve or supply fermented alcoholic beverages (beer, wine, cider and sparkling wine) to anyone under 16 years of age. However this age limit drops down to 14 if a minor is accompanied by his parent or legal guardian. It is generally illegal to serve, sell or supply any beverage containing spirits and aliments containing spirits above negligible amounts, to anyone under the age of 18 years. Violation of the "Protection of Young Persons Act" can be fined up to 50.000€.
See also: Alcohol laws in Germany

 Gibraltar
None[156]
18
16(beer, wine and cider)[156]
It is illegal to sell alcoholic drinks to anyone under the age of 18, other than the following two exceptions. The minimum age to be served in licensed premises is 16 if:[156]

The alcoholic beverage is beer, wine or cider below 15% ABV, or
The alcoholic beverage is served in a bottle, or a pre-packaged container below 5.5% ABV.

 Greece
None[157]
18[157]
In 2008, the consumption of alcoholic beverages was prohibited for minors in public. However, the law does not apply to private events or private premises.[157]

 Hungary
18[43]

 Iceland
None
20[158]
Possession or consumption of alcohol by minors is not an offence, but supplying them with alcohol is.

 Ireland
None (on private residence with permission from parents or guardians)[159]
18[159]
It is illegal for minors to buy alcohol or for a third party to attempt to buy it for minors. It is illegal to purchase alcohol for anybody under the age of consent without permission from their guardians.[160]

 Italy
None [161]
18[162][161]
In 2012 the then Health Minister Renato Balduzzi proposed to raise the age to 18.[161] Selling alcohol to those under the age of 18 in shops carries a fine between €250 and €1000. Serving alcoholic beverages to those under the age of 16 is a criminal offense and is punished with prison up to one year, if the individual is 16 or 17 it will be treated as an offense that is fined between €250 and €1000 (Legge n. 189/2013).

 Kosovo
None[citation needed]

 Latvia
None[163]
18[163]
It is illegal to sell or serve alcoholic beverages to any minor under the age of 18 years. There is no minimum age to consume or possess alcohol.[163]

 Liechtenstein
16 beer, wine and cider
18 spirits and spirit-based beverages[164]
Wine, beer and ciders as well as some other party drinks sometimes without spirits may be purchased by the age of 16. Spirits as well as alcopops may be sold only to people at least 18.[164]

 Lithuania
20[125]
It is illegal to sell, serve or supply alcoholic beverages to anyone under the age of 20 years. Persons under the age of 20 are prohibited from consuming alcoholic beverages or from possessing them. The minimum age was raised from 18 to 20 since 2018.[125]

 Luxembourg
None [165]
16[165]
It is illegal to sell or serve alcoholic beverages >1.2% ABV to any person under the age of 16 years. Violation is fined €251 to €1.000.[165]

 Macedonia
18[166]
Must show an ID card upon request. In certain smaller places, such as family-owned convenience stores and street kiosks, there is little to no enforcement on how old or young somebody purchases alcohol. There is little to no enforcement for drinking privately, but drinking in bars may require an ID.

 Malta
17[167]
Must provide identification upon request.

 Moldova
None[168]
18[168]
It is illegal to sell, or serve alcoholic beverages to anyone under the age of 18 years. It is not illegal for minors to buy, attempt to buy or consume alcohol. The minimum purchase age was raised from 16 to 18 in 2012.[169][168]

 Montenegro
18[citation needed]

 Netherlands
18
The legal age for purchasing and consumption of alcoholic beverages was raised from 16 to 18 since 2014. Alcohol is commonly available upon parental permission. Selling alcoholic beverages to people under 18 is illegal, although giving it away in private is not.[citation needed]

 Norway
None[170]
18 (<22%)
20 (≥22% ABV)[43]
Selling alcohol to or buying alcohol for minors is illegal. Minors are defined as under 18 for beer and wine, under 20 for drinks that contain 22% ABV or more. Minors who buy alcohol are not held criminally responsible; instead, the crime lies with those who sold it or obtained it for them.
Alcohol with more than 60% ABV is generally not sold in Norway, although exceptions may be made by the government for specific products.[171]
Alcohol possessed by minors may be confiscated as evidence. Drinking in public is prohibited, though this is rarely enforced in recreational areas.[172]

 Poland
None[173]
18[173]
Article 15 of The Act on Upbringing in Sobriety and Counteracting Alcoholism[174] clearly states that buyers or persons being served must be at least 18 and prove it with ID if they look like they may not be at least that age. There is no mention of consumption age in this or any other act in Poland. Drinking on streets, town squares, and in parks is illegal regardless of age.

 Portugal
None[175]
18[175]

 Romania
None
18[176]
According to law 61/1991 updated in 2008, paragraphs 21-25, it is illegal to serve or sell alcohol to minors.

 Russia
None
18[177]
There is no law or regulation in Russia that prohibits minors from consuming alcohol, but selling alcohol to minors is prohibited by federal and additional regional laws.

 San Marino
16[178]

 Serbia
None
16[179]

 Slovakia
18[180]

 Slovenia
None
18[181]
There is no law regulating the possession and consumption, but it is illegal to sell or offer alcohol of any kind to minors.

 Spain
18
Asturias was the last autonomous community in Spain where the drinking age was increased to 18 (previously 16) on 1 May 2015.[182]

 Sweden

None

None (less than 2.25% ABV)
18 (bars and restaurants)
18 (2.25%–3.5% ABV in food shops)
20 (Systembolaget shops)[183],

See also: Alcohol in Sweden
Many clubs choose to have higher age limits than 18, commonly 20 or 23. It is legal to drink below 18, but it is illegal to sell, lend or give alcohol to someone under that age and the police can seize alcohol from them, apart from being served alcohol supervised in private "in moderation". It is legal to serve an underage person alcohol in a private place.[184] The reason for lower limit in bars than in Systembolaget shops is that bartenders have a legal responsibility for how drunk a guest gets.

  Switzerland
  Switzerland (federal law)
None
(See notes)
16 (fermented alcoholic drinks with less than 15% ABV and natural wines with less than 18% ABV)[185]
18 (spirits) [186]
Whoever offers or supplies alcoholic beverages to a child under the age of 16 years in an amount which is harmful to one's health is punished with imprisonment up to 3 years or a fine.[187] Whoever sells or supplies spirits to a person under the age of 18 years is punished with a fine up to 10.000 CHF.[188]

 Ticino
18
The canton Ticino prohibits selling and consumption of any type of alcohol by minors under the age of 18. Some shops and supermarkets may not sell alcohol to minors under the age of 18.[189]

 Turkey
18[43]

See also: Alcohol laws of Turkey

 Ukraine
18[43]

 United Kingdom
 England
 Wales
18[190]
16 (beer, wine or cider with meal)[190]
5 (private)[191]
None (under medical supervision, or in an emergency)[191]
Legislation in  England and  Wales:

It is illegal to sell, serve, offer or consume alcoholic beverages on licensed premises under the age of 18, other than the following two exceptions:[190]

Minors aged 16 or 17 may consume wine, beer or cider on licensed premises when ordered with a meal, and accompanied by an adult.[190]
It is legal to sell liqueur confectionery to someone of any age.

It is illegal to permit minors under the age of 5 to consume alcoholic beverages unless under medical supervision or in an emergency.[191]
Persons over 17 are entitled to their own duty free allowance, which includes alcohol. [192]

 Scotland
18
16 (beer, wine or cider on licensed premises with meal)[193]
None (private)
Legislation in  Scotland:

It is illegal to sell, serve, offer or consume alcoholic beverages in public under the age of 18, other than the following two exceptions:[194]

Minors aged 16 or 17 may consume wine, beer or cider on licensed premises when ordered with a meal.[194]
It is legal to sell liqueur confectionery to someone of any age.

Persons over 17 are entitled to their own duty free allowance, which includes alcohol. [192]

 Northern Ireland
18
Legislation in Northern Ireland:
It is illegal to sell, serve, offer or consume alcoholic beverages in public under the age of 18.

 United Kingdom
Challenge 21 and Challenge 25 (applies to all of the  United Kingdom)
Under the BBPA's Challenge 21 and Challenge 25 schemes, customers attempting to buy alcoholic beverages are asked to prove their age if in the retailer's opinion they look under 21[195] (or optionally 25) even though the law states they must be a minimum of 18. Many supermarket and off-licence chains display Challenge 21 (or Challenge 25) notices stating that they will not serve persons who look under 21 (or 25) without ID.

text: Oceania[edit]

text:
Country
State/Region/Province
De jure
Notes

Drinking age
Purchase age

 American Samoa
21[196]

 Australia
18[43][197]

Main article: Alcohol laws of Australia
Varies by state. Some states restrict possession and consumption to over 18, all states restrict purchasing to over 18. In some states, minors may consume alcohol in a private residence with parental permission.[198]

 Fiji
18[199]
The drinking age was 21 from 2006 to 2009 but was lowered to 18 in 2009.[199]

 Guam
21[200]

 Micronesia, Federated States of
18[201]

 New Zealand
None
18[202]
Minimum age applies for beverages with 1.15% ABV or over; no restrictions on beverages less than 1.15% ABV.[203]
Persons under 18 may drink outside private residences or private functions if accompanied by their parent or legal guardian. Alcohol may be supplied to minors only by, or with express consent from, their parent or legal guardian.[204]

 Northern Mariana Islands
21[205]

 Palau
21[206]
It is illegal to sell or serve any alcoholic beverage to a person under 21 years of age. Minors may access a bar or licensed premises only if accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. Minors buying, consuming or attempting to buy alcohol are commiting a offence. The law provides a exception for the consumption of alcohol by minors as part of a religiously recognized ceremony.[206]

 Papua New Guinea
18[207]
It is illegal for a minor to purchase, consume or attempt to purchase alcoholic beverages. Any licence holder has to ensure that the customer who he sells or serves alcohol to, is at least 18 years of age. Violation of this law is fined.[207]

 Samoa
21[208]
Selling or serving alcohol to a person under the age of twenty-one years is punished with three hundred dollars or imprisonment for nine months or both, a fine and imprisonment.[209]

 Solomon Islands
None[209]
21[209]
Selling or serving alcohol to a person under the age of twenty-one years is punished with three hundred dollars or imprisonment for nine months or both, a fine and imprisonment.[209]

 Tokelau
18[210]

 Tonga
18[211]
Selling, serving or supplying alcohol to a minor is illegal. It is also illegal for minors to buy, attempt to buy or consume alcohol in any public place and any violation of this law is fined up to $1,000.[211]

 Vanuatu
18[212]
It is unlawful to sell, serve or supply alcohol to any person under the age of 18 years. Violation of the law is fined up to VT 25,000 or by a term of imprisonment not exceeding 3 months, or by both, fine and imprisonment. Any minor under the age of 18 years, beeing found in possession or consumption of alcohol is fined up to VT 10,000.[212]